Method and apparatus for bundling corrugated cardboard blanks



Nov. 27, 1956 CLEMENS 2,771,935

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BUNDLING CORRUGATED CARDBOARD BLANKS Filed May 26, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l L. CLEMENS METHOD AND AP CORRUGATED Nov. 27, 1956 PARATUS FOR BUND CARDBOARD BLANK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1954 2 In vezzlor-' METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BUNDLING C(BRRUGATED CARDBOARD BLANKS Ludwig Clemens, Wieshaden, Germany Application May 26, 1954, Serial No. 432,508

Claims priority, application Germany June 3, 1953 3 Claims. (Cl. 154-1.6)

This invention relates to a method and a device for the treatment of strip-shaped corrugated cardboard to be used for packaging purposes. The invention is particularly adapted for use in the continuous bundling of strip-shaped corrugated cardboard blanks which are produced by a cutter operating in a longitudinal direction.

Corrugated cardboard to be used as a packing material is generally available in the shape of long and comparatively wide webs which are wound upon rollers. In order to be used as a packing material the cardboard webs must be cut into smaller pieces. The equally cut and shaped pieces must be bundled for the transport to their place of use. Since the corrugated cardboard to be used as a packing material should not increase the costs of the articles to be packed the costs for the conversion of the corrugated cardboard blanks into a packing material must be possibly low.

It is the main object of the invention to convert the corrugated cardboard blanks into a packing material in a single and cheap manner and at a surprisingly small expense.

The method forming the subject matter of this invention, therefore, consists therein that equally shaped cardboard blanks are converted into uniformly superposed staples; these staples are conducted into a holding and guiding device; the two longitudinal sides or faces of the staple which are formed by the cut edges of the stapled blanks are coated with glue and hereupon paper sheets, which at least have the width of said staple are pressed onto the same.

The invention is by way of example illustrated in the accompanying drawing showing a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the device for bundling and packing the strip-shaped corrugated cardboard sections, which for instance, by a longitudinal cutter are produced in a continuous manner;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top view corresponding to Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a cardboard staple produced in conformity with the invention; and

Fig. 6 shows the cut-off finished package.

A staple 2 composed of equal endless strip-shaped corrugated cardboard blanks 1 is continuously advanced from the one end portion of a working table 3 by means of the transporting bands 4, 4 onto a second portion 5 of the table. Hereupon the staple 2 is intermittently conducted to a gluing and packing device the table 5 serving as a collector for the staple 2. The coil shape applied to the staple 2 on table 5 enables the transition from the continuous to the intermittent movement. This intermittent or interrupted movement of the staple'2 serves to facilitate the severing of packages from the bundled staple leaving the table 5. However, for the usefulness of the invention and its practical performance it is immanited States Patent 0 2,771,935 Patented Nov. 27, 1956 ice terial whether the staple composed of the cardboard sheets is continuously or intermittently conducted through the device.

The staple 2 passes from the working table 5 between the vertical guide rollers 6, 6 and between pairs of gluing rollers 7, 7'. These gluing rollers are disposed in such a manner that a portion only, for instance, five outer blanks 1 of the staple are glued (Fig. 3). The glue is supplied from a container 8 by means of the intermediary rollers 9 to the rollers 7, 7' and from here to the cardboard blanks 1.

In order to prevent the sticking together of adjacent blanks 1 the gluing rollers 7, 7' are at the outside provided with ribs 7", Fig. 4, which apply the glue within a limited space equal to about half of the entire thickness of the article, Fig. 4.

Thereupon the staple 2 passes between the vertical guide rollers 10, 10 onto a third section 11 of the Working table. Here paper webs 13, 13 coming from the paper carrying roller 12 and through an opening 11' of the table from the roller 12 are by horizontal rollers 14, 14 simultaneously pressed onto the glue coated portions. The paper webs have a sufiicient height to reach slightly beyond the staple 2.

Electrical heating devices 15, 15' are located between the rollers 14, 14' which speed-up the drying of the glued parts and the adhesion of the paper webs on the staple 2. During its passage through the rollers 14, 14' the staple 2 is confined between lateral guide rails 16, 16', Fig. 5, which are carried by supports 17, the latter being adjustable in slots 11 of the working table 11. The two upper rails 16 are made height adjustable by means of the tongues 18 in order to be thus made adaptable to the height of staple 2. Also the pressure roller 14, the heating device 15 and the upper gluing device- 7 are height-adjustable.

Upon exit from the rollers 14, 14 the staple 2 may be cut into portions of an optional length. The laterally projecting portions of the staple 2 facilitate the tearing-off of the packing paper from the staple.

As apparent from the above the staples 2 consisting of the adjacent cardboard blanks 1 are conducted into a holding device. It is advisable to place the adjacent cardboard blanks in an on-edge position, whereby the= cutting edges of the blanks serve to form the upper and lower face of the staples. These faces are coated with glue and then covered with paper webs on the upper and the lower side; the upper webs are glued to the staples and thus an adherent body is formed.

The specific significance of the invention rests upon the recognition that the bundled corrugated cardboard blanks are securely held together by the glued-on paper, therefore do not separate but are protected and cannot be injured.

The expenditure of paper for the packing of the cardboard staples is very small. The paper webs cover the opposite longitudinal faces of the card board staples, which are formed by the cutting edges of the card board strip or blanks. The two other longitudinal sides of the staples remain free, as the outer cardboard blanks form the covers of the cardboard staples. It is a surprising experience that the thus bundled staples form a satisfactory and reliable connection. The invention offers the further advantage that any packing can be easily removed from the staples by a simple tearing-ofi of the paper covers. The removal of the paper covers may be facilitated by making the paper web 13, 13 a little wider than the width of the staples 2, whereby the paper covers 13; 13' can be firmly gripped.

The division of the corrugated cardboard into single blanks 1 may be performed in any suitable manner and the application of the invention does not depend upon in view the blanks produced by a longitudinal cutter and being united into a uniform superposed staple are in a guiding or transporting packing device passed. along a.

gluing device which applies the glue on both sides to the cutting edges of the staple; thereupon a continuous paper a web is applied to both opposite sides of the staple and the same is now conducted through a pressure device. This procedure is differentiated from the one previously described by a continuous performance. 7

It is advisable to treat'the corrugated cardboard blanks or strips in their vertical position. Therefore the instant device comprises means which conduct the corrugated cardboard blanks 1 produced by a longitudinal cutter in paper layer or web 13 is pressed upon both sides of the staples by means of the rollers 14, 14. It is advisable to accelerate the drying of the glue by heating, in order to obtaina quicker and more reliable adhesion of the paper webs 13, 13' upon the staples 2. With this purpose in view electrical heating elements 15, 15 are provided.

Since certain changes in carrying out the above inven-' tion could be made without'departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the an on-edge adjacent portion and hold the same as a uni-.

form staple means beinglocated for gluing together the 7 upper and lower faces of the staple and a device being provided for the application of a continuous paper strip to the upper and the lower face of the staple.

As apparent from the above the article produced in conformity with the invention is a continuous stapleZ, composed of continuous corrugated cardboard blanks 1 and held together by paper'webs 13 lued onto the upper and lower faces thereof. I

. This continuous body may then becut in individual packages of a desired length. 1

This is performedby transporting the staple 2 stepwise through the device and cutting-off the portion of the staple, which has passed the device during the stoppage thereof. It is immaterial whether the staple is transported with a uniform speed or stepwise.

Applicant has mentioned that the upper and lower cut- ,oif faces of the staple 2 are coated with the glue and covered with continuous paper layers.

In the course of the practical development of the invention the surprising discovery was made that it is not necessary to apply the glue to the outer and lower face of the corrugated cardboard staples. Experience has proven that it is sufficient to apply the glue to the edges of the border or outer blanks'only,for instance, the live lateral blanks 1 on both sides of the staple 2. The paper webs 13 are in this manner only fastened to the opposite outer narrow partitions of the-staples but the center portion remains free.

The consumption of glue'is accordingly reduced; moreover, the paper covers 13 can be more easily removed' from the staples 2. By this method ofbundling and packing the corrugated cardboard staples are free at the greater portion of their lateral surface.

It may happen that during the application of the glue the latterpenetrates between the corrugated cardboard blanks l-and glues them together; this may lead-to an injury or tearing to pieces of the staples 2. Therefore it is recommended "to apply the glue only to the middle portion of the staples 2, which approximates about one half of the total width.

Asapparent frem'the drawings, the glue applying device consists of upper and lower rollers 7, '7' and the glue is supplied to these rollers from a glue container by intermediary rollers 9, which apply the glue to the cutting edges of the completed cardboard blanks 1 forming the staple 2. In order to apply the glue to the center portions of the staples 2 only, the glue applying rollers 7 are provided with circumferential ribs 7", which only contact the staples.

Upon application of the glue to the rollers 7, Fig. 4, a

above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A method for bundling a plurality of adjacent strip- V shaped longitudinally extending corrugated cardboard blankscornprising, assembling said blanks into a staple of loosely superposed cardboard blanks, conducting said staple into and through a staple holding and guiding means, applying adhesive toa limited area of the upper V and lower longitudinal surfaces of said staple on the cut off upper and lower edges of the loosely superposed blanks thereof during the passage of said staple through saidhold ing and guiding means, the application of the adhesive being restricted to the edges of a few outer blanks on each side of the staple, thereupon applying paper webs onto the adhesive coated longitudinal surfaces of said staple,

the width of said paper webs being slightly greater than the width of the staple surfaces, the paper webs thereby projecting slightly over the edges of said staple.

2. A method of bundling a plurality of adjacentstrip shaped longitudinally extending corrugated cardboard blanks comprising, assembling said blanks into a staple. of loosely superposed cardboard blanks, conducting said staple into and through a staple holding and guiding means, applying adhesive to a limited area of upper and lower longitudinal surfaces of said staple on the cut-off upper and lower edges of said looselysuperposed cardboard blanks during the passage of said staple. through said holding and guiding means, the application of the adhesive being restricted to the edges of a few outer blanks on each side of the staple at center portions of said edges, the width of said center portions being equal to about half of the thickness of said cardboard blanks, thereupon applying paper webs onto theadhesive coated longitudinal surfaces of said staple, the width of said paper webs being slightly greater than the width of the staple surfaces so that the paper webs thereby project slightly over the edges of said staple.

3. Apparatus for adhesively bundling a plurality of longitudinally extending cardboard blanks, comprising.

means for assembling said blanks into a staple of loosely superposed longitudinally extending cardboard blanks,

staple holding and guiding means into which the assern bled staple is guided and held as loose blanks with the edges in an upward position, edge adhesive applying means fitted with elevated portions of limited area to apply adhesive from said limited area to the upper and lower sides of said staple, said area of adhesive applica-- tion being smaller than the area of the upper side'land lower side of the staple, respectively, and a horizontal pressing member for pressing a paper strip from a paper 7 supply onto said upper and lower adhesively coated sides of said staple. 7

References Cited in the tile or this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,946,056 Birdsey Feb. 6, 1934 2,290,548 Galber July 21, 1942 1 2,384,676 Hill Sept. 11, 1945 2,456,059 i Grupe u Dec. 14, 1948 2,475,789 Kunz July 12, 1949 

